Coating machine



Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

7 fuel a swirling motion as it leaves the nozzle, so

UNITED JAMES Pontoonor New YORK, N. Y.

, runnaon'ronnunnmerrnn FUEL:

v'apglicatibn iiieafiui .is, 1925. serial No. 43,183,

Thi i enti n lates'to: Fig. l is a horizontal section through the V furnaces for, burning finefuelin suspenslon. In my Patent No. 1,530,321, dated March 17 1925, I have Shawn furnace. inf which the fuel is blown upwardly through a nozzle into a furnace chamber which is circular in cross section and which gradually enlarges in cliameter from the bottom upwardly, a'ndin 'which I have provided means for blowing air upwardlyinto the chamber-adj acent the nozzle to maintain upward draft in all parts of the chamber andto' return particles of fuel or foreign substances which r'nay' dropto the bottom of the furnace. time also shown, means for rore'ingan into the furnace chamber at various points in its height so as to supply the necessary oxygen for complete combustioncf the gases evolved from the fuel. The present invention is .in the nature of an improvement upon themvention described in said Letters Patent. It is found, in practice, thatthe coarser particles of material blown upwardly into the furnace through the central'nozzle, owingto their inertia, rise higher than the finer fuel and are apt to be blown out of the chamber. To remedy this, I provide in each fuel injecting nozzle-a spiral baffle which gives the and by this arrangement the heavier particles are thrown by centrifugal force, toward the wall of the furnace, instead of being. projected in a vertical line,= while the finer fuel does not travel directly to the wall but tak initially a more central position in theifurnace chamber. The coarser particles, are thus prevented from being projected 'toohigh in the furnace, and all of the fuel injected is held in suspension. I p 1 w In the present invention,I have shown the furnace in several connected sections, each section being provided with a fuel injecting nozzle and the spiral deflectors in the ad acent nozzles being reversely arranged, and l. have also shown means for admitting air laterally into the several sections at different point'sin the height of'the furnace, the air inlets being located "and directed so as to causea swirl of the fuel and gascsin the same direction as the swirl caused by the respective spiral deflectors in the nozzles.

In this way, the air, gases andfuel are inter- -mingled without having the currents inone part of the furnace opposed'by currents in an adjacent part.v

In the accompanying drawing,

c, Fig. 2 is a section on the line Fig.1;

, Fig. 3 i Fig.1; and, I p

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the nozzles and adjacent parts of the furnace.

S' a section on the line 3 of Referring to the drawing, al /represents the outer wall of the furnace which, "assho'wn, flares outwardly and upwardly from the bottom, and 6 indicates the combustion chamber enclose d by said wall. The lower part I of the combustion chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments 1,2, 3, and 4} by partitions 5, v6, and 7. TEach compartment has a wall formed matessection on arcs of circles and upwardly flaring, and thechamber. wall above the partitions is fluted'in continuation of the arcuate walls of the several compartments. ;Thus, the conical .compartments merge into one another above the partitions, and the inner wall of the upper part of the furnace chamber has the arcuate surfaces 1?, 2 e'tc., concentric with the axes of.

the 'fuel injecting'noz'zle's 0,0, etc. 1

I The fuelinjecting nozzles are the same as in my patent r'eferredto above, except that within the bore of the nozzleis arranged-a spiral baffle 8, as shown in Fig. 4. The fine fuel is fed to the various nozzles by screw conveyers contained in pi es-,9 and is blown upwardly through the nozzle by air admit ted from a pipe10, or'a, pipe 11. The spiral baffle causes the fuel and'air to enter t'l; nace chamber witha swirling motion and the coarser particles of fuel. instead of being" projected straight upwardly in the chamber, where they woulc'lpass beyond the finer fuel, are thrown outwardly toward the wall and are held in suspension by theupwarddraft from the nozzle and from the orifice 12, surrounding the nozzle through which air is forced from the pipe 10 or pipe. ll.

The spiral baffles in the-nozzles in theses cessive compartments are revers'ely inclined and the- 3,11 I as well as the fuel injected through the successive nozzles" is given, a

swirling motion'in' opposite directionsfi as in d cated by the small arrowsinI-ig. 1. As

in the structure of myprior patent, 1 provide means for admitting air to the combus t-1OIrChELII1b81, through pipes (Z, at various points in the height of 'llh8.fl1l'na(l, for the purpose of supplying'the necessary oxygen J. A. RIHL COATING MACHINE Nov. 9 1926. I

' Filed March 21. 1922 8 Sheets- Sheet 2 Wow/$ M Nov. 9, 1 26.

J. A. RIHL QOATING MACHI NE Filed March 21. 1922 8 -s e 3 QKMW, m

w wwwwsv mm Q mw Nov. 9 1926.

J ..A. RIHL COATING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Nova 9 1926.

J. A. RIHL COATING MACHINE File Marc '8 Sheets-Sheet s Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,721 J. A. RIHL COATING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1922 8 t s t 6 Nov. 9 1926.

1,606,721 J. A. RIHL COATING MACHINE Filed Mar ch 21, 1922 s Sheets-Shet 7 Nov. 9 1926.

J. A. RIHL COATING MACHINE Filed Marbh 21. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 CII or other articles.

Patented o v. 9, 1926.

Nlrsosrs JoHN A. 311-111., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

coArrrNe MACHINE.

Application filed March 21, 1922. Serial p. 545,556.

This invention relates to coating ina- 1, 1, connected by cross bars 2, 2, shown in chines of the type employed for applying icing or similar coating material to cakes The principal object of the inventionis to provide a novel and improved means for feeding the coating material to the articles having certain simplifying and improving features and characteristics hereinafter set forth. g .u

Another object of the invention is to provide means for feeding the coatingmaterial to the coated article in a continuous stream or ribbon, and in such manner thatthe customary intermittent operation ordinarily found in machines of this classis eliminated. A'furthertobject is'to provide means for 'mechanically separating theindividual coated articles which in receiving the coating material abut one against another.

A still further objectof the invention is the provision of means for -applying tothe coated articles a granular coatlng substance such as grated cocoanut.

The invention further resides in certain advantageous structural features of the ina- I Fig.4, is' an end elevation;

chine as hereinafter described.

In the attached drawings: Figure 1,. is a side elevation of the machine made in accordance with my inven- Fig. 2, is a side elevation, the reverse of u that of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 3, s a plan view of the machine; Fig. 5, is a fragmenta vertical section of a portion of the machlne includingthe hopper for the coating material and the means for feeding the material to the .ar-

ticles' A Fig. 6, is a fragmentary plan view ofthat portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 5 with the hopper removed;

-Fig. 7, is a transverse section on the line 7-7, Fig. 6; j

Figs.8, 9, and 11, are v 1ews,m perspective of details of the coatmg material feeding mechanism;

Fig. 12, is a fragmentary side elevation of the article-separating ,mechamsm, and

- Fig; 13, is a vertlcal-s'ection of the hop per and feeding elements for the granular coating materia v With reference to the drawings, the niachine comprises a pair of main side frames outer ends bya pair of legs 4, 4, which latter are joined by a cross piece 5 of the same L general form as the cross'bars 2 which connect the side frames .1, 1,-and through whichcross piece the bars 3,3, extend.

At the opposite ends of the longitudinal frame are mounted shafts, respectively 6 and 7, said shafts being mounted in bearmgs 8 secured to the ends of the respective vertically aligned pairs of the bars 3, and

carried by each of these shafts is a roller, 9 and 10 respectively, which rollers cooperate with a 'second' pair of rollers 11 and 12 mounted upon lateral shafts 13 and 14 supported in bearings 15 and '16 intermediate the ends of the longitudinal frame in supporting a pair of endless belt conveyers 17 and 18. Extending between the bear- 1ngs15 and 16, one at each side of the 1011'- gitudinal frame and in alignment therewith,

is a bearing plate 19, in which plates are formed a series of bearings 20, in which are mounted rollers 21, 21, the tops of which are substantially on a level with the tops of the endless .beltconveyers 17 and 18.

Lateral supports 22 for thebelts 17jand 18 are carried b arms 23, 23, which extend inwardly towar s the center. of the *respective belts. from the ends thereof, said armsbeing secured to the longitudinal [frame of} the machine, and there extends between the, j.

supports 22, 22, in theoneinstance, and between the support 22 and the lateral support 24, which latter extends between-the tops of the legs 4, 4, flat bearing'plates 25,

25, which underlie the belts and prevent them from sagging.

Mounted upon the tops-of the side frames 1, .1-,,.and' suitably secured thereto is a base framefor a hopper 28, said base comprising-vertical side pieces26 and 27, between which passes the belt conveyer. 17,; saidframe also constituting in the present instance a su port for an electric motor'29 which constitutes this driving element of'the i machine.

f The motor .29 is connected by meansof -a I be1t'30 to a pulley wheel 31' carried'on the end of-a shaft 32, which latter is mounted in bearings near. the bottom of the side frames 1. A clutch 33 provides means for connecting and disconnecting at w1llthe pulley wheel 31 from the shaft 32, there being provided a lever 34 by means of a which the said clutch may be actuated.

The shaft 32 carries a pinion 35 which meshes with a gear 36 on a shaft 37 also mounted in the side frames 1, 1. The latter shaft 37 carries also a pinion 38 which meshes with a gear 39 upon a shaft40 mounted in bearings in the side frames 1, 1,

said latter shaft extending at each end-beyond the said side frames and having secured to the extending ends sprockets 41 and 42. The spocket 41 is connected by means of a chain 43 with a sprocket 44 on' the end ofthe shaft 6 whereby the roller 9 is rotated to drive the belt' conveyer' 17, the conveyer 18 receiving its movement through a chain 45 connecting sprockets 46 and 47 respectively carried. by the shafts 13 and-14'.

- The sprocket 42 is connected by means of a sprocket chain 48 to a sprocket 49 on one' end of a shaft 50, which latter is mounted in bearings 51, 51, at the top of the hoppersupporting frame 26-27. The shaft 50 has attached thereto a roller-or drmn 52, the

function of which will now be described.

Extending across the top of the uprights 26 and 27 one at each side thereof, is a cross bar 53, which cross bars constitute a support for a box-shaped base 54 of the hopper 28. An end view of the box 54 is shown in Fig. 7, the box being cut away at the sides for the reception of thedrum Securedby screws 55, 55, to the inside of the box 54 are apair of arcuate plates 56, 56, the edges of which fit 'close to the pe-' .ripher'y .of the drum 52 and form therewith.

a substantially tight joint preventing .the passage of .any' coating material between I the drum and the sides of the box 54.

As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a space is left at each side between the periphery ofthe drum and the inner edge of the cross bars 53, 53,'the length of the space at one side of the drum being controlled by adjustable stops 57, 57 which latter stopsby reason of slots 58, 58, may be moved inwardly or outwardly to vary the length of this space 59 at one side of the drum. 7 s

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the box 54 is provided atthe underside with threaded studs 60, which latter are adapted to pass through apertures in the cross bars 53,

Y53, and wing nuts 61, 61, are provided upon the studs for holding the box 54 in place,

The studs 60 and wing nuts 61..also' provide means for securing to the under sides of the crossbars 53 guides 62 and 63, shown respectively 1n Flgs. 10 and 11', in which guides are slidably mounted. stops or valves 64 and 65 respectively, which latter are adapted to completely close the spaces between the drum and the sides of the crosspieces 53, 53. The guide 62 also has mounted therein a plate 66 adjustable toward and from the drum to restrict the width of the opening 59. This plate 66, as shown in Fig. 9, is provided with a downwardlyextending stud 67, which projects through a slot 68in the. guide 62, a wing nut 69 being provided whereby this plate 66 may be secured to the uide.

As shown in Fig. 6, a bracket-extension 70 is provided at the top of the upright 27,

said bracket forming a support for a vertical pivot 71, fora bell crank lever 72. One end of this bellcrank lever 72 has thereon a handle or grip 73, and intermediate the said handle and the pivot 71 the arm is pivotally secured to a clutch element 74 at one end of j the shaft 50 whereby the sprocket 49, which is lootely mounted upon the said shaft, may be made fast to the shaft. The other arm '75of the bell crank lever 72 is connected at 76 to the upright stem 77 of the stop 64, the

. arm also being connected by means of a link 78 to an arm 79 pivotally secured at 80 to the guide 63, and at 81 to the stop 65 which slides in the guide 63.

i The movement of the stop 64 is normally greater than that of the stop 65,and this difference in movement between the respective slides is allowed for by a slot 82 at the end of the link'78 through which connection is established between the link and the arm 79.

The shaft 7 which carries the roller 10 also carries a sprocket 83, which latter is connected by means of achain 84 with a sprocket 85 carried on' a shaft 86 which extends through thelower portion of a hopper 87. The hopper is mounted in the present instance upon suitable uprights 88, 88, which extend upwardly from the bars 3, 3, constituting the longitudinal frame of the machine. As best shown in Fig. 13, the hopper is at the bottom substantially funnel-shaped,

and has established therein and mounted upon the shaft 86 a corrugated roller 89,

which latter inrotating in the direction ill-- shown in Fig. 5, each article abutting the artlcle immediately ahead, a guide 90 ad-*' justably secured to the plate 25 being provided for the operator so that the articles may be placed accurately in proper position upon the belt. When the-foremost article is directly underneath the hopper, theoperator shifts the lever 7 3 inwardly, thereby throwing .the clutch 74 into engagement and effecting rotation of the shaft 52, movement of the lever withdrawing the stops 64 and 65 to permit the passage of the coating material contained 'in the hopper 28 through the space 59. Although aspace is also left by withdrawal of the stop 65 at the opposite side of the roll from. the space 59, the coating material is of such consistency that the rotation of the druin'52 prevents the passage of the material Lthrough this latter space after the stop has been withdrawn.

\Extending between the uprights 26-27 directly beneath the drum is abar 91, the upper edge of which bears against the face of the drum and acts as a scraper for thecoating material which adheres to the drum in its rotation through the bottom of the hopper, this scrape'rcausing the film or layer of the coatingmaterial to leave the drum and pass downwardly to'the surface of the articles passing thereunder, as shown in Fig. 5. The articles after receiving the coating material upon their upper surf-aces pass on to the rollers 21 and are forced thereacrocs by reason of the continued rotation of the belt 17.

The sprocket 47 on the shaft 14 is slightly smaller in diameter than the sprocket 46 on the shaft 13, by reason of which difference the belt conveyer 18 is driven at a slightly faster rate of speed than the conveyer 17. l are forced from the rollers 21 onto the conveyer 18,.the increased speed of this latter 1 conveyer causes the article to move away from the one directly in its rear and thereby break the film of coatin material and completely separate the artic es from each other.

In passing under the hopper 87, the article then receives upon the top of the coating material a-layer of a granulated cocoanut or other desired gr'anular'substance. The arti v cles arethen removed from'the conveyer 18.

r 'Itwillbe noted that the coating ma operation which ordinarily is found in machines of this type.

in this machine is fed to the coated articles in a continuous stream or ribbon and without waste, there being obviated the intermittent against the drum of the stops 64 and 65:

By reason of the elements 57 57, the length of the opening 59 through whichthe material passes to the articles may be varied to suit articles of different widths, while Accordingly. when the articles,

the element 66 may be moved toward or away from the drum to give varying widths to the space 59 and to thereby control the depth of the coating on the articles.

Considerable modification of the machine herein described is possible with no dewith the face spaced from the sides thereof. stops movably mounted at the base of said hopper and adapted to close the space be:

tween the sides of said Opening and thedrum, and common means for actuating said stops to either open or close said spaces.

2. In a coating machine, the combination with a hopper having an opening in the bottom, of a drum mounted in said opening with its face spaced from the sides thereof.-

stops movably mounted at the base of said hopper for closing the spaces between the sides of the opening and the drum, mechanism for rotating said drum, and a clutch connecting the drum with said mechanism,

-. said clutch and stops being operatively connected whereby opening of the former effects engagement of the latter and vice versa.

3. In a coating machine, the combination with a hopper having an opening in the bottom, of a drum mounted in said opening with the face thereof spaced apart from the sides of said opening, stops movably mounted at the base of the hopper for closing the spaces between the sides of the opening and the drum, mecha'nism'for rotating said drum, anoperating lever for effecting actuatlon of the drum rotating mechanism, and a connection between said operating member and the stops whereby movement of the operating member to start the drum retracts the stopsto uncover the spaces between the drum and the sides of said opening.

4. In a'coating machlne, the'combination with a pair of spaced supporting members,

ofan open bottom hopper mounted on said members, a drum mounted between said supporting members with its face spaced from the inner edges thereof and extending into said hopper, guides secured to the under side of said supporting members, and stops slidable in said guides and adapted to close the spaces between the supporting members and the drum.

5. In a coating machine, the combination with'a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a driven s iaft, a drum mountedonsaid shaft and extending into. said opening, the face of said drun1..being spaced apart from one side of said opening. a stop movably mounted at the base of said hopper and adapted to close the said space, a clutch controlling the rotation of sa d shaft, and a connection between the clutch and the stop whereby actuation of one entails actuation of the other.

6. In a coating machine, the combination with a hopper, of means for conducting a plurality of articles under said hopper in a continuous strip with the articles abutting each other, means for depositing a material from the hopper onto the articles in' a continuous unbroken stream, and mechanical means for separating said articles from each other after receiving the coating material.

7 In a coating machine, the combination with a hopper, of means for conducting a i ductingmeans adapted toreceive the coated 2 articles from the first and adapted to move at a higherrate of speed than said first conducting means whereby the coated articles areseparatedu JOHN A. niHL. 

